Page 34 of Her Possessive Minotaurs

Kael approaches her next, holding out a handful of herbs he gathered from the forest. She looks up at him, her face breaking into a soft smile that lights up the darkening camp. He sits beside her, explaining the uses of each plant, and she listens intently, nodding along with genuine interest. It’s clear she values his knowledge and his presence. She’s weaving herself into their lives, bit by bit.

I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a dangerous distraction.

__

In the afternoon, Kael approaches me, an unusual look of determination on his face. “Thalos,” he starts, his voice calm but insistent. “We need to talk.”

I raise an eyebrow but say nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“It’s about Laia,” he says, meeting my gaze head-on. “You need to treat her better.”

I snort in disbelief. “Since when do you tell me how to run things?”

Kael doesn’t back down. “She’s for the three of us,” he says firmly. “If you can’t see that—if you keep pushing her away—she’ll never feel welcome here.”

His words hit harder than any blow. The idea of having her integrate fully with us sounds good and scary at the same time. But admitting that means admitting weakness.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady the storm inside me. "Kael, she's human. You both are being controlled by a human. It's my duty as the oldest to protect you from this." My voice is low but firm, leaving no room for argument.

Kael's eyes narrow, but there's a softness in his gaze. "Thalos, she's been through more than we can imagine. From the first moment I saw her, I wanted to protect her." He steps closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't you see? She's not just a human. She's one of us now."

My jaw tightens. His words hit harder than I want to admit. "She’s not of our race, Kael. You’re forgetting that."

He doesn’t flinch. "Maybe you're forgetting what it means to be more than our race." His words linger in the air like a challenge.

"Leave," I command, my tone final.

Kael gives me one last look before turning and walking away. I watch him go, wrestling with the turmoil inside me.

That night, I sit in my lair, the flickering fire casting long shadows on the walls. Kael's words presses on me. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I need to see why my brothers are so taken with her.

“Laia,” I call out, my voice gruff and unyielding. “Come here.”

She hesitates at the entrance, her eyes searching my face for any sign of what’s to come. The tension between us is palpable, thick enough to cut through.

After what feels like an eternity, she steps inside, her heart pounding loud enough that I can almost hear it over the crackling fire.

The air grows heavy as she approaches me, every step echoing in the silence between us.

And deep down, beneath all my rationalizations and duties, there’s a part of me that has wanted this all along.

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, we just stand there, caught in the gravity of everything unspoken.

The night stretches before us, filled with possibilities neither of us are ready to face but can no longer ignore. I fight this obsessive feeling of wanting her, but it takes all of me.

Right now, I don’t think I can handle it.

_____________

25

LAIA

Istep closer, feeling Thalos’s gaze as it pins me in place. The room is dimly lit, the fire casting long, flickering shadows across the stone walls. The air between us crackles with unspoken tension, thick and suffocating.

Thalos stands before me, his chest bare, muscles taut and glistening in the firelight. His expression is unreadable, a mask of stoicism that only adds to the anticipation thrumming between us. For a moment, neither of us speaks. The silence hangs heavy, every second stretching out like an eternity.

My heart thumps like a drum beat in my ears. But I refuse to back down. I take another step closer, my voice soft but steady. “Why did you call me here, Thalos?”

---